We're looking forward to the second season of High Desert Test Kitchen, and are starting off the year with Mesquite! If you live around here, you've probably seen a Mesquite tree, one of the most well-known food producers in the American desert. Although we're encouraging all HDTKers to purchase their ingredients for sustainability reasons, you might have access to Mesquite pods in your backyard. And if you can safely harvest and process them, go for it! Desert Harvestersout of Tucson has a wealth of information on the subject.

For those of you (myself included) who aren't able to do your own "pod-to-powder," there are abundant retail options. Joshua Tree Health Foods sometimes has it in stock, as well as Clark's grocery stores. And of course, there's no shortage of purveyors if you choose to buy online. You're probably going to pay around $10 a pound, but a little bit goes a long way. The rich, nutty flabor is akin to carob—some people liken it to cacao—and can be used as a gluten-free addition in baked goods, as a nutrient-packed addition to sauces and syrups, or as a finishing touch on hand-rolled truffles. The applications are pretty much endless, so don't be afraid to give it a go. —Sarah Witt